Allen Merritt

Frederick Allen Merritt, Jr. was born September 27, 1948, in Bentonville and changed addresses to his new Mansion in Heaven on September 6, 2025. He was preceded in death by his parents, Frederick Allen Merritt, Sr. and Mary Helen McPherson Merritt, his brother Steve Merritt, and his sister Susan Merritt O'Dell.

He is survived by his wife, Barbara Ellis Merritt, daughter and son-in-law, Lora and Donny Garner, grandchildren, Shaylea and Michael Jones, and Klay and Hanna Garner, great-grandchildren, Anna, Adileese, Paisley, Pierson, and Judah. He is also survived by his brother, Phillip Merritt, his brother and sister-in-law, Joe and Jeri Merritt, nephews, nieces, and many friends.

Allen was raised on a dairy farm near Rogers, Graduated from Rogers High School in 1967

Served in the Army Signal Corps from 1967 to 1970, with two blessed years in Panama. He went to Columbia Bible College, Columbia, SC, from 1971 to 1974, Worked in Peru, with the South American Indian Mission from 1974 to 1975. When Allen returned to Rogers and worked in industrial repair at Glad Manufacturing / Clorox from 1975 to 2004.

He married a wonderful Christian woman, Barbara Ellis Merritt, in 1980. Allen came from a good family, enjoyed a blessed life, and loved his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

He was a volunteer firefighter / first responder with the Pea Ridge V.F.D. from 1980 to 2004. He served five years as chief and was an original board member of the Arkansas Rural and Volunteer Fire Fighters Association and was currently a board member of the Avoca Volunteer Fire and Rescue Dept. from 2005 until present.

While at Glad Mfg., he learned to write Job Safety Analysis and technical writing. He was a member of Ozark Writers Group and published stories about growing up in the Ozarks and many letters to the editor in newspapers.

His hobbies included collecting and shooting guns, photography, 4-wheel drive adventures, and writing articles that were published in national 4X4 magazines, which featured stories from CO, UT, NC, SD, OK, AR, and even AK.

After retirement from Clorox, he built a new home on his grandparents' farm, where he grew up. He became a gardener and a Rogers School bus driver from 2004 to the present.

He was an active member of Pleasant Hill Baptist Church. His ministry of encouragement included selecting and loaning out inspirational books and DVDs. He presented Focus on the Family's "The Truth Project" several times, which grew into a Friday evening potluck dinner fellowship with a devotional DVD from great teachers like David Jeremiah, Robert Jeffers, Perry Stone, and Rabbi Jonathan Cahn.

His business card said:

Allen Merritt - Christian, Sheepdog, Oath Keeper!

"Do not be conformed…but be transformed by the renewing of your mind."

Romans 12:1-2

"Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus." Philippians 2:5

"And always be ready to give a defense of your faith." 1 Peter 3:15

Visitation will be on Wednesday, September 10, 2025, at Benton County Funeral

Home in Rogers from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm Service will be on Thursday, September 11, 2025, at Pleasant Hill Baptist Church in Rogers at 11:00 am, and burial with military honors will be at Pea Ridge Cemetery following the service. Online condolences to www.bentoncountyfuneralhome.com